New Mexico Goes to Clinton

What’s Wrong With This Picture?

Sen. Hillary Clinton, D- N.Y., was declared the winner of the New Mexico Democratic Presidential caucus nine days after the polls closed.

Clinton received 73,105 to the 71,396 votes that Sen. Barack Obama, D- Ill., garnered; a difference of 1,709, according to a Party press release.

Over 17,000 provisional ballots were examined and 8,200 were found to be registered voters and counted.

Of the 26 national convention delegates up for grabs, Clinton secured 14 while Obama received 12. An additional 12 super delegates are relegated to party leaders and elected public officials.

So what’s wrong with this picture?

Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chávez announced Thursday that he was suspending the use of the red light and speed van citation program because the State Legislature had passed a provision that would require fines generated through the City’s Safe Traffic Operations Program, also known as the STOP ordinance, will be processed through the state’s collection process. The money would go to offsetting the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Courthouse operating fund.

My Take

Anyone who has followed this blog knows that I am as adamantly opposed to the automated enforcement program as anyone. One might think I would be delighted with the action of the mayor. Not so. I think that the program should die. However, I believe the program must die a legal death, not one of Chávez simply deciding because his program will no longer generate the revenues it has in the past, that he may unilaterally suspend it.

Chávez is sworn to uphold and enforce the ordinances of the City of Albuquerque. If he wants to end the program, he must approach City Council and repeal the ordinance. To do otherwise is to violate his oath and is an act of malfeasance.